catgate wrote:Meanwhile my XP-315 has printed a test page, so there may be light at the end of the tunnel or may be we will get the same stupid pantomime all over again.

I used to run Epson printers (non MF) for about 10 years on my server but cups started to play up and keep mucking up the setting for Windows machine. About 2 years ago through work I got a wireless HP MF printer and haven't looked back... Ink is pricer but the driver is excellent in my opinion.

Yes, it's often worthwhile using the proprietary drivers for a better printing result. If you do install the printer driver, you'll then need to reconfigure your printer (eg via CUPS web interface) for it to take effect.

You expect instant response from an email address that probably has thousands of emails a day?

I had no expectation of an instant reply. In the world that we live in at present I look upon myself as blessed if I can get through a barrage of telephonic disembodied bimbos in less than ten minutes. So I was more that overawed by their telling me they would be getting in touch with me shortly.

It is now many more hours since since I got the message, and I am not surprised that I have received nothing.

What does surprise me though is that they should write "We will be in touch shortly regarding your enquiry" in the first place, because I have always had the feeling that the Germanic mind tends towards truth rather than fiction, and the message emanated from there.

I am surprised that you think "shortly" actually means within hours As it is a relative term, it could mean "in a shorter time than a year"
In Cornish, "dreckly" means "sometime this month, or maybe next month, or when I remember" but furinners often assume it means "straight away"

The sig between the asterisks is so cool that only REALLY COOL people can even see it!

Well, thanks to all you kind peoples, I have the beast under control. Well for now anyway.
I downloaded the two necessary debs from the Epson site and it now seems to be fairly compliant and docile. However I am not going to become complacent.

I bought an Epson Stylus SX130 printer/copier ´cos it was dirt cheap and the runes sed it would work as a printer and that was wot I needed.

I always had probs with the setup as the 1-page inst manual was so small that I simply could not read the 6 languages thereon, so I went to the website and downloaded what turned out to be the same.....

However, I found a link to the complete manual and sorted out the printer setup easily. Intriguingly there were full instructions for setting up the copier, mostly referring to the Win CD. Persevering, I found another link to the ¨do you use Linux¨ path, which pointed me to the correct drivers for Deb and RPM users and further gave directions ¨for those who use GIMP to access the scanner¨ and gave a single line of BASH which installs the copier as an accessory to the GIMP. - Wacky or wot?

In Spain we have the word Manana which is interpreted as URGENT by the natives. This means ¨in a week or 2, unless I forget¨.....

Well I got my response from Epson this morning.They provided me with a link to a 150 page PDF file which covers the XP-215, XP-3215 and XP-415 ranges. I have downloaded it and it appears to be all written in the UK mother tongue.
It looks like another task that will be akin to juggling with a ton of loose soot.

I was also urged to take out insurance to cover breakdown......now that's what I call service.